Teaching a boy to wipe his own butt

[liliaceae]

DS is 4 and I'm starting to have him wipe himself, but I'm wondering......how do males wipe their butts??  DS wanted to reach between his legs and wipe back to front, but I told him to reach around his back and wipe front to back (that's obviously what I do since I'm female).  But it would be a lot easier for him to wipe back to front, and there isn't the concern of infection (and grossness) that there would be with a girl.....although I guess it would be all over his scrotum right?

So anyway, how did you teach your boys to do it?  And if you're male (or can ask your male partner :)), how do men generally do it?  That's not too personal a question, right? :P

[Katielady]

Subbing, because based on what I've seen in DS's Diego undies, he's not doing the best of jobs with the wiping.

[trini]

Yep, just like you. Reach around back and wipe front to back. 

He can stay sitting on the toilet and lean over so his tummy is against his thighs and wipe, or he can stand up to wipe.

[lifeguard]

Ds instinctively wiped with his hand between his legs back to front. I didn't bother correcting it 'cause hey he was wiping & I don't see a problem with that method. Dh saw him & thought it was funny he did that way - apparently most men reach around. As far as front to back or back to front I don't think it really matters for boys.

[MamitaM]

LOL This is such a funny thread,but we boy mamas do need to know this stuff.

[leighi123]

Ds stands up and puts a foot on the toilet seat for balance, and then wipes back to front.   And then he sticks the wipe in his crack and runs into the kitchen to show everyone his tail.  

Aside from him being a weirdo, it does a pretty good job.  He uses cloth wipes with wipe soulution (I keep the soulution in an empty soap dispenser so he can do it himself)

[pregnant@40]

Front to back. Sometimes I have wet wipes in the bathroom to make it easier for him. But even at age 6, he still has underwear smears & at home asks for me to wipe his butt. I don't mind at home, for he really does want to be clean (and feels "itchy" if he's not). I think bathroom issues in general are more of a struggle for boys, not just b/c of anatomy, but also fine motor control. Girls are just a bit more advanced.